The Secondary Teachers Collective Agreement (STCA) sets out particular requirements for non-contact hours and average class sizes that are to be incorporated into the timetabling process, without prejudicing the learning needs and academic pathways of students.

Purpose:

i.To ensure the needs of students is the first and key priority in the timetable development.

ii.To ensure fairness and transparency in the timetabling process.

iii.To comply with the conditions of the STCA (2011).

Procedures:

i.The Principal shall determine the allocation of staffing for the school annually using the GMFS and any Board of Trustee staffing contribution as a basis.

ii.The Principal shall determine the number of classes that will operate at each level using student enrolment data. The Principal will utilise criteria of:

Succession planning

Confidential knowledge of staffing departures

Professional development for teaching staff

Contract positions

Board of Trustees guidance on staffing

StudThe conditions stipulated in the most recent STCA.

iii.The Principal will allocate classes to staff.

iv.The non-contact requirements as described in the STCA for full-time teachers, part-time teachers and those with permanent MU’s must be provided.

v.The school will provide extra non-contact time for Heads of Faculty responsible for beginning teachers as described in the STCA and will endeavour to provide one additional hour per MU for each permanent MU above the third (for those with more than three MU’s).

vi.In special circumstances and where a genuine reason exists, teachers may be asked to temporarily forego their minimum entitlement to non-contact. These would be in times of emergency when no day reliever can be found and teachers holding more than the minimum non-contacts are unavailable. Situations where teachers volunteer to cover for their colleagues whilst on leave for “non-contact” reasons are not included.

vii.Where teachers are requested to work hours in excess of those described in the contract, every attempt will be made to address the situation at another point in the school year.

viii.In allocating classes to teachers, the Principal will use reasonable endeavour to achieve, for each teacher who has an average size of 26 students.

ix.To allow for a settling down period, to cater for new student enrolments and student option changes, the average class size for teachers will be based on 1st March numbers.

x.Where a teacher has an average class size that exceeds the 26 student threshold, then an agreed (between the teacher and Principal) compensatory mechanism will be provided that may include provision of extra non-contact time or reduction of other duties.

Review

This policy will be reviewed as part of the Board’s cycle of review/schedule